Not since the invention of the drive-thru has the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry experienced such a change in how it operates and serves its customer which is due, in large part, to a whole host of digital technologies.
Mobile ordering has exploded in popularity in the last decade or so. Since 2014, purchasing your favorite fast food by phone has grown 300% faster than dine-in traffic, with no signs of slowing down.
In 2025, 70% of QSR customers aged between 18 and 54 will use mobile order-ahead features at least once a month. The reason? Customers expect and enjoy an ordering experience that is both quick and convenient, but that’s also hyper-personal to them. They want their Big Mac or taco bowl ready when they arrive at the QSR, but they also want the option to remove the pickles or add extra guac just as easily.
Drive-Thru 2.0 means integrating this order-ahead tech with intelligent digital menu boards to reduce vehicle lines time and increase the amount spent by each customer.
Here, we’ll explore the key elements of a modern drive-thru and why failing to evolve will likely lead to lost relevance in a competitive market.
Your typical QSR customer in 2026 isn’t waiting until they get to their favorite fast-food chain to order. No. Instead, they are placing their order before arriving and expecting it to be hot and ready the moment they walk through the door.
Mobile-first behaivors are no longer reserved for tech-savvy teens. It is a mainstream way to order across North America and a baseline expectation for a number of demographics. Through significant investment, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks have guided customers towards using apps with the convenience they offer, benefiting both the customer and the barista or line cook.
Use of mobile ordering in other sectors has also seen the demand for QSR mobile ordering increase, with customers expecting to be able to order sneakers just as easily as their Pumpkin Spiced Latte.
This trend to mobile is being led (though not exclusively) by Gen Z and Millennial customers who now simply expect a personal, customizable service that's quick and, rather ironically, involves very little human interaction.
For the QSRs themselves, mobile ordering is an investment worth making. The practice has consistently shown to deliver higher average order values, with customers more willing to upgrade their meal or add something extra to their order away from the spotlight of a traditional standing line.
As dine-in traffic remains flat, restaurants which fail to see the benefits of mobile ordering will be swept aside by more agile brands that know their customers’ behaivors better.
Today’s digital menu boards are a far cry from their static counterparts or even LED digital signage from 10 years ago. These intelligent, data-driven tools influence behavior and drive conversion in real time, whether the customer is in their car or the restaurant.
These boards are dynamic, meaning the content on them can be updated based on any number of factors, from stock levels to the time of day. All this helps to keep what is on them relevant to the customer ordering at that moment. And it doesn’t require input from front-line staff or call-outs from specialists. Cloud technology means entire QSR estates can be updated in seconds from one central device.
Pricing and promotions can also be updated instantly, and campaigns can be tweaked depending on what resonates with audiences in particular locations. A campaign promoting a new range of iced coffees may be more effective when placed in front of an audience in sunny LA than one in the cooler Midwest, for example.
Integrating these boards with points of sale and mobile ordering closes the loop between customers’ devices and the drive-thru lane. As well as selling, this loop provides vast amounts of data from which leaders can measure engagement, and they also often meet ADA requirements thanks to their large text and voice assistance features.
Digital boards help fast-paced QSRs avoid customer indecision, which speeds up the person's progression through the line and throughput even at their peak hours.
By allowing customers to order their meal before they arrive at the drive-thru, you turn a reactive experience (that can carry delays and cause queues) into a proactive one that just focuses on giving out orders, not taking them.
Integration into kitchen display systems (KDS) allows QSRs to split drive-thru lanes so those who ordered on the app aren’t punished by having to wait in line with those ordering. This not only reduces throughput but also reduces congestion while still giving less tech-savvy customers the option to go down the ‘old-fashioned’ route.
GPS trackers (if consented to by the customer, of course) can help to prioritize orders so the kitchen doesn’t make nuggets or burritos that sit on the counter for 20 minutes and go cold, helping to retain a positive brand image that food is still made fresh, no matter the order method.
Integrating mobile orders with digital signage can further personlize the experience without slowing processes down. Customers can be personally greeted by signs on arrival and asked to confirm their order before collecting both of which help enhance speed but also familiarity.
Integrations reduce miscommunications between customers and kitchen staff, too, which is a key satisfaction driver for guests who have little patience for a misplaced order or late collection. This too has a positive impact on team wellbeing and pressure to constantly recruit new staff, something that's becoming increasingly tricky in a more competitive labor market.
Successful deployment, however, requires front-end design and back-end infrastructure working harmoniously, something Evoke supports end-to-end.
Drive-Thru 2.0 doesn’t just benefit customers but the bottom line performance of US QSRs across three main categories: speed, sales, and sustainability.
| Key Benefits | |
|
Speed |
Faster split lanes and fewer bottlenecks caused by indecisive customers mean more cars get served per hour. |
| Increased speed during critical breakfast and lunch windows helps to maximize revenue. | |
| Real-time order tracking in-app reduces congestion and makes for faster handoffs from the kitchen to the customer. | |
|
Sales |
Upsell prompts on mobile apps and digital boards can all help to increase average order value and tempt customers into treating themselves. |
| Menus can be optimized based on data-driven insights into customer behaivor during the day. | |
| Centralized content control and automation of menu changes keep prices consistent and reduce operational complexity without having to train staff on pricing changes. | |
|
Sustainability |
Digital signage means paper-based menus and static boards can be done away with, as can the cost of printing, ordering, and recycling them. |
| Managing content from devices means fewer manual updates and transportation of updated campaign boards. | |
| Digital-first operations help to make for more efficient restaurants, supporting wider ESG principles. |
Evoke is the go-to partner for North American QSRs wanting to digitally transform their drive-thru experience, thanks to over two decades of experience.
Our solutions aren’t just about installing signs but encompass everything needed to maximize the investment, be that pilot schemes to test viability or thorough post-installation support.
We’re trusted by brands across food service, retail, and hospitality, both in the US and across the world. We know the fast-paced industry in which you operate and meet that with a service that reflects it without compromising on quality and insight.
We also support backend integrations so that your new digital signs or self-service kiosks will talk to your existing tech stacks.
In short, we help US QSRs stay competitive with responsive tech that grows with your business and your customers’ demands.
Your drive-thru has never been more important. In a fast-moving QSR sector, your digital menu boards and order-ahead tech can meet customer expectations and increase your revenue.
Evoke is ready to help you evolve, whether you’re testing one site or want to roll out across North America.